


Just Call Me Little Miss Disaster Magnet

by hawksilverforever



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-30 15:44:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12111975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawksilverforever/pseuds/hawksilverforever
Summary: Nurse Avery is just like any other nurse except for one thing, where ever she is a disaster breaks out. First New York and the alien attack, then Washington and the fall of SHIELD, then on vacation in Sokovia her hotel starts to fly, and finally on her way back to New York she's in Berlin as the airport gets evacuated.She's back in New York living in a small building in Queens, personal and private Nurse to her neighbour Peter Parker. When she arrives home from a long day she walks into her apartment to see an unusual guest sitting in her living room.





	Just Call Me Little Miss Disaster Magnet

**Author's Note:**

> So I posted a chapter of this but then deleted it because it was crap so I rewrote it. I've also been keeping key plot points a secret from a lot of people, I've only been giving word counts to the person I usually share everything to do with my fics with and had a different person edit it all together. So I know there are parts that you'll dislike, and parts you'll love, but most of all there will be a couple of parts that might just make you cry (cause I was crying while writing them and I knew what was coming).
> 
> So I hope you enjoy it,  
> HSF

“One hour left,” Sarah says bumping her hip as she joins Avery at the counter of the nurses’ station.

“Yeah, it’s weird. I still can’t believe my dad wants me to be closer to him,” she says filling out a chart.

“I’m going to miss you,” she says, “you’re still joining us for dri-”

“ _We interrupt this regularly scheduled programming to bring you updates on the events happening near Stark Tower. As seen in this footage there is a portal open letting an unknown species down towards the ci-”_

Avery grabs the remote muting the TV as she looks around and see the panicked looks on everyone’s faces.

“We’re the closest to Stark tower, start moving patients into rooms together, three four tops. Call down to the ER and have everyone in there moved to a different hospital. Page the OR and clear out any noncritical surgeries,” she starts barking out orders, “Sarah, let’s go down to the ER and start prepping the space.”

“This isn’t going to be an hour-long thing,” Sarah says, “head out now.”

“I’m staying. This is my job, I help people,” her reply is.

***

“There we go,” she says, leaning against the counter next to Sarah.

“There’s one more room full of people,” she says, “you want to take them or me?”

“I got it,” she says, pushing off the counter, “my phone’s been ringing all day so I don’t really want to answer it just yet.”

Walking away to the closed door of the last group of people from the events today, she grabs the six charts and walk in, reading them over as she does so.

“I’m Nurse Coulson. Mr. Barton, from what you told the staff you should go get an MRI and a CAT Scan. So, hop onto this gurney and Sarah will take you down there. Dr. Banner, you’re going to need fluids so we’re going to start you on an IV drip,” she says, setting up the IV next to him, “is it okay if I do it, or would you prefer to?”

“I’ll do it,” he says, taking the needle from her, “safer this way.”

“Miss Romanov, just a small cut on your head, I’ll clean it up and then it’ll be good. Doesn’t look like you’re going to need stitches,” she says, dabbing the cut with a swab, “Mr. Stark, good to see you again, this time conscious, we’re just going to monitor your heart from the sounds of it you passed out for a while.”

“Thank you,” he says, as she sticks the needed pads to his chest.

“Thor,” she asks questioningly, “You’re fine.”

“I am here to support my friends,” he says.

“Captain Rogers, you on the other hand are going to need stitches,” she says examining at his side, “it’ll just take a mom-”

*ring**ring*

She pulls out her phone and see the same name that’s been calling her all day, hitting the ignore button she goes back to the person sitting in front of her.

“You can take that if you need to,” Steve says.

“It’s just my uncle, I’m supposed to be at my place to help the movers pack up the truck,” she says, “it can wait.”

She grabs the stitches kit and sits in front of Steve again. Pulling on a pair of gloves, she starts cutting away his uniform from the gash on his side. Slowly she starts to clean the area, she opens the pack and start to stitch up the gash.

“You’re good at this,” Steve says, “normally it hurts.”

“Well I’ve been doing this all day so I’m just doing this from muscle memory at this point,” she says, as her phone continues to ring from her pocket.

“Answer the call please, it’s starting to stress me out,” Steve says as she finishes up the last stitch.

She pulls out the phone and hits the answer button holding it between her ear and shoulder as she starts cleaning up.

“Hey. I’m at work, there was an alien invasion today. Where are you? I’ll be out in a moment, what’s so important anyway? Why can’t you tell me over the phone? Fine, give me a couple of minutes,” she finishes the conversation hanging up the phone.

“Sorry about that, my uncle has something he has to tell me,” she says, “I’ll send Sarah in to do all the discharges. Thank you by the way”

“For what? We should be the ones thanking you,” Steve says.

“You saved the city, all I did was stitch a couple of people up,” she says as she walks out of the room to see her uncle standing there.

“Uncle Nick,” she says, throwing out the pile of garbage in her hands, “what’s up?”

“Can we talk somewhere private,” he asks, turning to face her his face looking tired.

“I have patients I need to check on,” she says, “can this be fast?”

“It’s your dad, he got hurt,” Nick says quietly.

“How bad,” she asks, crossing her arms.

“Tahiti bad,” he whispers as someone walks past.

“Papers,” she demands, walking into a little office space.

“You have to think this through,” he says following her, “Maria, you and myself, plus a small team of selected people will know he’s still alive.”

“This is my father,” she says, “I have thought this through, when he told me about the Avengers initiative I knew this was a possibility.”

“Avery, this is a lot to take on,” he says, “you know you can’t tell anyone that he’s alive.”

“Papers,” she says, reaching her hand out, “now.”

He sighs, reaching into his pocket taking out a packet of papers and a pen handing them to her. Avery reads through it quickly then signing the signature line, she hands them back to Nick.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work,” she says walking out of the office space.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“When are you coming back to DC dad,” Avery asks as she pulls on her scrubs.

“We’re stopping in for a minute today,” he says, “I’m sorry I can’t get dinner.”

“It’s okay, I have to go to work anyway,” she replies, “Love you, dad.”

She hangs up the phone and walks out the door locking her apartment. Hopping into her car she drives off towards the hospital, pulling into her usual spot she gets out of the car and walks into the lobby.

“Avery,” Sharon calls out jogging up to Avery.

“Hey, how’s your neighbour,” she says bumping her shoulder.

“Gorgeous. Something happened last so I actually have to slip out,” she says, “my second job awaits.”

“Ah, gotta get them dolla bills,” she says laughing, “go, I’ll cover your patients.”

She walks into the elevator and makes her way to the nurses' station she always works from, stepping onto the floor she is cut off by Sean.

“So, you watch the news,” he asks.

“No, why,” she asks, following him to the desk.

“Captain America is a criminal,” he says, handing her a chart, “SHIELD is looking for him, said he set up the hit on their director, Nick something.”

“Nick Fury,” she asks, “Nick Fury is dead?”

“Yeah, I think that’s the name,” he says.

She turns and walks towards the room listed on the file pulling out her phone sending a text off to her father asking about Uncle Nick. She walks into the room and starts with the standard day that awaits her.

***

“This is the last ambulance on its way in,” Sean says as they all stand in the ER waiting for the last wave of people to come in.

“I can’t believe that this happened,” she says signing a chart, “SHIELD fell, Hydra was within them all this time.”

“Can you cover this last person,” Sean says, “I got to call my sister and see how she is.”

She nods as the doors slide open and two people walk in and a gurney follows them.

“Natasha,” Avery calls out rushing to the side of the gurney looking down at the man, “Steve!”

“He was found next to the river,” she says, “this is Sam.”

“He needs an OR, there’s no exit hole on his back,” she says, “we have to get that out before we can stitch him up. Follow me.”

She steps into the elevator with the gurney, Sam, and Natasha. She pulls out her phone and page the OR telling them they’re on our way down with Captain America. She follows the gurney until it disappears between the doors to the OR rooms.

“I’ll be his nurse after the surgery,” she says to Natasha, “I’m just not a scrub nurse so I can’t be in there.”

“We have no idea how he got out of the water,” Sam says.

“It’s fine,” she says, “it’s easier than trying to find him in the water. Where’s his shield anyway? He had it with him in New York so shouldn’t it be with him now?”

“It must still be in the water, I’ll call Tony and have him search the river,” she says pulling out her phone stepping to the side.

***

“He’s awake,” Sam says from Steve’s doorway, motioning for Avery to come in.

“You gave us a little scare there, buddy,” she says walking into the room.

“How bad is it out there,” Steve asks, trying to sit up.

“Don’t you worry about that,” she says pushing him back down, “and I’m the worst person to ask anyway, haven’t left your side since you’ve got here. That was about a day and a half ago.”

“Which is a problem,” Sam says crossing his arms across his chest.

“Which is why I’m here. Go home and rest, I’ll watch him,” Sean says as he walks into the room.

Unwillingly, she leaves the hospital and makes her way towards her car, the whole time feeling a set of eyes follow her every move. She quickens her pace and gets to her car unlocking it and jumping in, bumping her rear-view mirror as she does so. She repositions her mirror to see a pair of empty tires eyes in her back seat, slowly she starts to turn to face the anonymous eyes but is stopped short but the pressure of a gun held to her side.

“Drive,” the unattached voice to the empty eyes says in Russian.

She starts the engine and pull out of her parking spot never once looking into the rear-view mirror. Following the directions given to her in Russian short one worded statements until she’s told to pull off. They end up in a dark alleyway in a bad part of town.

“Out,” the voice commands.

She steps out of the car slowly making her way towards him.

“You’re hurt,” she says in butchered Russian as soon as she sees him, “let me help.”

She opens the trunk and pulls out her medical bag and starts walking towards him. She notices him look down at the bag, she reaches her hand out and move to place it on the clearly broken arm. In seconds the gun in his left hand is holstered and the fingers are tightly wrapped around her neck, his cold metal fingers.

“I need to touch you to help you,” she rasps out in Russian.

His fingers loosen and drop from her neck, he sits down and doesn’t move while she works on setting his arm. She tightly ties it to his chest and starts gathering up all the garbage.

“Sorry,” he says softly in English.

“Don’t be. I’m sorry this happened to you and I don’t want to meet the person that did this,” she says, not looking up at him, “what’s your name?”

“I-I don’t know,” he says.

She looks up about to reply when she realizes he’s gone and she’s alone in a dark alleyway in the worst part of town.

***

“So where are you going again,” Steve asks as they stand in the cemetery.

“Sokovia, they have a beautiful mountain range and I want to hike it,” Avery says, “but I’ll be moving back to New York after my vacation.”

“Then I’ll pick you up at the airport and you can tell me all about your adventure and peacefulness away from my chaos,” he says as his team walks towards him, “have you told your uncle about the mystery man yet?”

“She did,” Fury says handing her a case, “keep it on you at all times.”

“Thanks, I should get going, though. I’ll see you when I get back,” she says hugging Fury and then Steve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Shit,” she yells throwing herself onto the flying ground as a robot whizzes past her head.

She stands up and helps other people to their feet as a red, white and blue blur flies past them. She turns, looking in the direction that it came from to see Steve standing there fight a robot next to him. He looks towards the direction of where his shield went, noticing Avery as he does so.

“Avery, what the hell are you doing here,” he says running to her side.

“I’m on vacation, what does it look like,” she says as he throws his shield again.

“I thought you’d be hiking in the mountains,” he asks.

“I did, yesterday. I’m supposed to be on my way to the airport,” she says as Tony lands beside them blasting the gang of robots surrounding them.

“You have to pay attention, babe,” he says to Steve before noticing her, “Avery, good to see you again.”

He flies off leaving Avery and Steve.

“So that finally happened,” she says as they jog towards the market.

“Right after you left the hospital in DC actually,” he says as he pulls open the door for her, “stay in here unless I say otherwise.”

“How are we going to get out of this,” this man who literally just appeared next to them asks.

“No clue, Pietro,” Steve says, “but we have to figure out a way to get the civilians out of here first.”

“You a cop,” Pietro asks her in Russian.

“No, my godfather wants to make sure I’m able to protect myself,” she replies in English.

“Oh, okay,” he replies, “well I got to run.”

After the words leave his mouth he’s gone. She looks over at Steve and he’s chuckling at her confused look.

“Just keep your head down,” he says as he runs towards the centre of the city.

***

Clint and Avery sit down on one of the last life boats waiting to go back to the Helicarrier when a mother starts freaking out because she can’t find her son. She watches as Clint looks back out onto the flying city to find her son.

“I see him, I’ll be right back,” he says to her as he runs towards the market.

Watching she sees him reach the child and make his way back towards the life boat as the sounds of a quinjet flies over head. Looking up she sees that Ultron is flying the jet and using the machine gun.

“Clint,” she hollers running back out onto the city.

She gets halfway to him as she watches him turn and use his body as a human shield for the boy in his arms. Then everything happens in slow motion, Pietro runs pushing Clint and the boy behind the car getting hit with all the bullets, she reaches them as Pietro collapses to the ground.

“Shit,” Clint mutters, looking to the speedster.

Avery carefully reaches her hand out to the body’s neck checking for a pulse.

“I have a pulse,” she yells, “it’s weak though.”

She pulls off the sweater she’s wearing and starts tearing it into strips creating tourniquets for the wounds on his arms. Steve carefully picks him up when she nods that it’s okay and carries him onto the lifeboat. Clint takes the shredded sweater and puts pressure on the bullet holes on his chest. The lifeboat docks back on the Helicarrier.

“I need a gurney,” she hollers as staff rush onto the boat.

Together they move him onto a gurney and start to move towards the medical area all the while Clint and Avery are standing on the base and putting pressure on his injuries. They move into the elevator, bumping over the doorway which causes one of his tourniquets to come loose spraying her in the face, she makes quick work of tightening it. Once on the floor with the medical setup staff move in and take over allowing her and Clint to hop off.

“Move,” they hear being hollered through the stairwell. The doors busy open and Fury rushes in, “where is she!? Is she hurt?!”

“Uncle Nick, I’m fine,” she says, “I’m the one who called for the gurney.”

“You’re covered in blood,” Nick says looking her over.

“It’s not mine,” she says look down at her hands and clothing covered in Pietro’s blood.

“Where’s my brother,” the woman dressed in red asks as she walks off the elevator.

“Surgery,” Clint says from where he’s standing, eyes not moving from the doors they took Pietro through, “and it’s because of me. Just like Phil.”

“No, this is nothing like that,” she says, walking over to him, taking his hand in hers, “Pietro is still alive, he was dead when the medics got to him. This is nothing like that, okay? Pietro is not my dad.”

“No, he isn’t your dad, but I’m just as crazy about Pietro as I was for your dad,” Clint says.

“He feels the same,” the woman says.

“Avery, you should wash up,” Nick says, “you’re still covered in blood.”

“I’m staying with Clint,” she says.

“You’re the reason why he still has a chance,” the woman asks, “he’s the only family I have left.”

“I couldn’t let another brother die in my arms,” she says as a nurse walks out through the doors.

“Wanda, he’s out of surgery, it’s going to be a long process for recovery,” she says.

“Can I see him,” Wanda asks.

“No, sorry. He needs his rest,” she says, “and so should all of you. It’s been a long day.”

***

“So where are you going,” Steve says as everyone from Sokovia shuffles off the Helicarrier.

“I’m going to stay here for a bit, help out in whatever way I can,” she says, “then probably Berlin.”

“Okay, so let me know when you get to Berlin and I’ll be there with the team,” Steve says, “that way it’ll be easier for when all hell breaks loose.”

“Again,” they say in unison.

“Just keep your head down, okay,” Steve says as she steps out of the Helicarrier, “and I’ll see you in New York, not before.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m telling you dad, the mystery man was in Bucharest,” she says into her phone as she waits to board her plane.

She sits there talking to her dad as an announcement is made, looking around she sees staff leading people towards exits. Standing up, she gathers her things and walk towards a bathroom and lock herself into one of the stalls.

“I gotta go dad,” she says hanging up the phone before he replies.

Quiet. Slowly she steps down from the toilet and make her way out of the bathroom. Walking through the terminal she sees a pair of people sitting in one of the windows. She’s about to go and talk to them when they start running, being followed by a man crawling on the windows. What happens next is a blur, things are being thrown around at each person only to stop when the person dressed in a blue and red suit is thrown out the window.

“Man, I really hate you,” she hears a familiar voice say.

“Sam,” she says running over to where his voice came from.

“Avery, what the hell are you doing here,” he asks as she get to his side.

“Untying you and,” she says, looking over at the other person, “mystery man!”

“This is mystery man,” Sam asks once he’s freed.

“Yeah,” she says as she cut him free.

“Steve’s going to be pissed. He’s been looking for Bucky for months and you found him right after everything that happened in Washington,” Sam says.

“What’s going on here,” she asks, after both of them are freed.

“It’s complicated,” mystery man replies.

“We have to get going, but promise me on thing,” Sam says, “don’t let Steve see you.”

***

“Are you okay,” she asks running to the same person she saw fly out the window’s side.

“What? Yeah, yeah I’m fine,” he says.

“Oh my god, you’re a child,” she says, “please, let me-”

“Avery,” Tony says, landing next to them, “does-does Steve know you’re here?”

“No, I was told to stay out of sight,” she replies standing up.

“Help him,” he says, pointing down to the boy still on the ground, “I have to handle some stuff.”

She nods as he flies off, turning back to the child on the ground. She reaches her hand out and help him up, supporting his weight she walks him onto the airport. Once he’s inside they find a bench and sit him down, she shrugs off her bag and open it removing her first aid kit.

“I’m going to have to remove your mask, is that okay,” she says looking down at the first aid kit in her hands, avoiding his face.

“No, I can’t,” he almost whispers, “I can’t have you know who I am.”

“I can’t help you if I don’t see your injuries,” she says, “your secret is safe with me. I’ll tell you one of mine first it that helps.”

“I’m just worried,” he starts, “that if I tell you it will get back to my aunt.”

“If this gets back to Tony I’m screwed over too,” she says, resting her hand on his knee, looking up at the eyes on his mask.

“What could you be keeping from Mr. Stark that will make him mad,” he asks, “I’ll let you help me.”

“My dad’s alive,” she says, “he died before the battle of New York. Tony and Steve saw the bloodstain on the wall. They believed it, I gave shield the okay to bring him back.”

Slowly, his hands move up to the edge of his mask pulling it up and off. Once his hands are back in his lap she makes quick work of checking out his black eye and cleaning up the bit of blood from his nose.

“All done,” she says, “you can put your mask back on.”

“Thanks,” he says, “my name’s Peter.”

“Avery,” she responds as Tony comes into the airport.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She’s walking down the sidewalk towards her apartment rummaging through the bag of Chinese food in her arms when she trips over something hard and fall onto the ground. She feels a pair of hands wrap around her waist lifting her to her feet. Looking back to where she just was she see all of her food splayed out on the sidewalk.

“Well isn’t that just great,” she says.

“You okay,” the person that helped her up asks.

“I’m fine, just annoyed,” she says, turning to face the man, “I’m just hungry, I’ve been unpacking all day.”

“Avery, what are you doing here,” Tony asks as he steps out of the car, “Happy, you gotta watch where you put things.”

“It’s fine Tony. I wasn’t looking at the sidewalk,” she says as Peter steps out of the car.

“Take care of what’s in that case, Peter,” Tony says as Happy hands him the case, “and Avery, let me know if Steve reaches out to you. Tell him I screwed up and that I miss him.”

“I will,” she says, turning and heading towards her building doors.

Before she can step inside she hears murmuring behind her causing her to stop and turn to face the two men arguing over the roof of the car.

“Everything okay,” she calls back.

“Yes, Happy here just feels bad about your food,” Tony replies.

“It’s fine, I’ll just order a pizza,” she says.

“Let me give you the money to cover it at least,” Happy says pulling out his wallet.

“Why don’t you just pick it up on your way back from dropping off Tony,” she says gaining a smirk from Tony.

“But I don’t have to drive back here,” Happy says.

“It’s fine, I’ll drive myself back and make sure a car is here for you tomorrow,” Tony says walking around the car.

“But I’m just paying for a pizza for her,” Happy says, looking back at the smaller man.

She watches as Tony makes an array of faces at Happy, the latter not understanding.

“I’m inviting you up for pizza and a drink,” she says, “some might call this a date. Normally for a date you’d go out but all my nice clothes are still packed away.”

“Oh,” Happy says, slowly having all the pieces fit together, “OH, okay. You good, boss?”

“He’s gone,” she says, “left before I finished talking.”

***

“You know you could relax some,” she says taking a swig from her beer, “he’s not going to call you.”

“It’s just, I don’t do this much,” Happy says, motioning to the room.

“Last time I had a date my father answered the door with some untested weapon,” she says, “I was 17.”

“Sounds like a man I’d like to meet sometime,” he says taking a sip from his beer.

“He’s passed away,” she says flatly looking out the window, “before the Battle of New York.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he says, “I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine,” she replies, looking down at the bottle in her hand, “how long does it take to deliver a pizza?”

They sit and talk for some time until the pizza is delivered and then they continue to talk as they eat. Once the last piece is finished she starts to clean up a bit.

“Let me do that,” Happy says following her into the kitchen.

“It’s not going to take long, why don’t you grab us each another beer,” she says grabbing a garbage bag from under her sink. She put the pizza box and paper plates into the bag and place it in her trash can, turning she happily accept the beer in Happy’s out stretched hand.

“How close are you and Captain Rogers,” he asks causing her to choke a bit on her beer, “did you two ever almost date?”

“He’s 100 years old,” she says, “my dad was his biggest fan and I grew up with a fascination with him. When I met him after New York I just clicked with him and especially after I heard wind of my dad, Steve was the only connection to him left after Clint stopped answering my calls.”

“Wait, was your father Phil Coulson,” he asks.

“One in the same,” she says, “but let’s not hash out things that don’t matter. Steve made his choice that day at the airport, even if I had even a small hand in not stopping him.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up your father again,” he says, resting his hand on her upper arm.

“I’m sorry,” she says, moving to his side, “it’s just that my dad worked with Tony and you work with Tony so that’s really the only common ground we have and it’s just hard to talk about him at times.”

“Well that’s not the only common ground we have, the kid seemed to recognize you,” he says, “and he’s annoying so we can talk about how annoying he is.”

She laughs at this leaning into him smiling at how calm it is at this moment. Then the moment stops. There’s a knock at the door, she steps away from him and move to answer it. She pulls open the door and see her father standing on the other side.

“Hey kid,” she says, “now’s not a good time. I have company over.”

“What are you talking about,” Phil whispers.

“One second,” she calls into the kitchen as she steps out into the hallway, “dad, I have someone who knows Tony, someone who won’t feel right lying to him. You can’t be here.”

She opens the door to see Happy standing on the other side as Phil stands next to her.

“You’re dead,” Happy blurts out as she pushes him into the living room followed closely by her father who closes and locks the door.

“Happy, Tony and the rest of them don’t know and can’t know,” she says letting go of him.

“How,” he asks looking between Avery and her father, “I heard Thor tell the story watching his brother stab him in the chest.”

“Classified,” Phil says, “but I don’t think it’s a good idea if you mention you saw me to anyone. Especially Clint. Please.”

Happy looks down into her eyes seeing the pleads she’s silently asking him.

“How can I tell people something I know nothing of,” Happy says, closing his eyes, “I had a couple of beers and when I open my eyes what I thought I saw was just a drunk vision.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slowly she dragged her tired aching legs up the stairs to her apartment after a long day at work. She pulls her keys out and unlock her door as her phone goes off, she looks at the screen as she pushes through the lead like door.

**You home? I need help**. Peter

**I’ll be there in an hour, I miss you.** Happy

She types a reply to Peter putting her medical bag on the table and go to her room to change. She come out of the room to see Peter sitting on her couch with a gash in his side.

“Looks like stitches,” she says sitting across from him, “you have to be out of here in a few minutes, Happy’s on his way here.”

“How long has that been going on,” he asks as she stitch him up.

“Couple of months,” she says, “if he can put up with Tony’s crazy and your annoying then I think he’ll stick around.”

“Does he know the truth about,” Peter starts, trailing off before he finishes.

“Yes, he does,” she replies, finishing up the last stitch, “but he’ll deny it if you ask.”

“How long was it before you told him,” he asks pulling on a fresh shirt handing her his old one.

“A half hour into our first date,” she says, “dad showed up here out of the blue.”

“Thanks,” he says as he walks out the door jump down to his floor from hers.

As soon as her door is closed the buzzer mounted in the wall goes off, she buzzes open the door without checking to see who it is.

“Right on time,” she says pulling open the door expecting Happy in the other side.

“You knew I was coming,” Steve asks shocked by her reaction.

“What the hell are you doing here,” she says pulling him into her apartment checking the hallway to make sure no one else saw him.

“I need your help,” he says after the door is closed, “Bucky is waking up in a couple of days and I’d like to have my nurse there.”

“Steve, I can’t,” she says, “you don’t know how much even having you here could cost me. You’re a wanted felon and I work for the government.”

“Avery, you’re the only person I trust left in the city,” he says, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t absolutely need you.”

“I’m the only person you trust? What about Tony, or are you guys even still together,” she says, “you know he misses you, told me himself, and that he screwed up.”

“I can’t reach out to him,” he says, “I can’t ask him for help with Bucky.”

“I should have never cut Sam and this Bucky guy free back in Berlin,” she says as her apartment buzzer sounds again. she goes over and press the talk button, “I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Who’s that,” Steve asks once she releases the button.

“Happy,” she says, “you know, Tony’s friend and co-worker’s and the guy I’m dating. I can’t stay up here, we don’t have secrets and the longer I stay here with you the bigger this secret gets.”

“Please just promise you’ll come and help me,” Steve pleads as she gather her things.

“I can’t. If you need help from someone so badly call your boyfriend,” she says as she opens her door and walks out, slamming it behind her.

***

“Are you okay, you’ve hardly touched your food,” Happy asks halfway through dinner.

“What? Oh, um, yeah I guess,” she says, “it’s just something happened before you got to my place.”

“What happened? Do I have to go hurt someone,” Happy says getting upset.

“No, no, it’s not like that,” she says reaching her hand out resting it on his, “Steve showed up, sporting a giant beard might I add, and asked for my help with Bucky. My medical help. I know I should have called Tony then and there but…”

“But he’s your best friend and it caught you off guard,” Steve says making of them both jump.

“What the fuck are you doing here, in public,” she whisper-yells at him.

“You weren’t coming when I asked nicely so,” he says grabbing her upper arm pulling her up from her seat, “Happy, I suggest you don’t get up and don’t think about following us.”

“Let go of me,” she says twisting her arm trying to get out of his grasp.

“Avery, there’s more going on here than just Bucky waking up,” he says still dragging her from the restaurant.

“Fine then, you leave me no choice,” she screams, “HELP!!! This man is a fugitive, heeellllpppp!!!!”

The next thing they know is an Iron-man suit landing next to them grabbing Steve, causing him to let go of her arm making her fall to the ground, and pinning him up against the side on the restaurant. She feels a pair of hands lift her up and pulls her close, looking up Avery sees Happy holding her. She turns back just in time to see the suit open up and Steve get pulled in before flying off.

“I called Tony,” Happy says once they’re alone on the sidewalk, “he sent the suit. It’s bringing Steve to him.”

“Thank you,” she says dropping her head onto his chest, “but something is bothering Steve, he said there’s more going on than just Bucky waking up.”

“Let’s head upstate, Tony owes you some answers,” he says as the car gets pulled around.

***

“Tony, you have to let me talk to him,” she says, “I can get answers out of him better than you.”

“He tried to take you as a hostage and you want to talk to him,” Tony says, walking through his lab.

“I’m going and there’s nothing you can do to stop me,” she says storming out of the lab towards the suit Steve is still trapped in.

“Steve,” she says, tapping on the face piece causing it to open, “good, you’re awake.”

“You have to come with me, to help Bucky,” Steve says.

“What’s going on? Why are you so desperate for me to go with you,” she asks.

“You’re not safe if you stay here. There have been talks through the criminal message boards that dangerous things are wait for you and your family,” he says, “but I know that they’re misinformed, they keep talking of your father.”

“Why,” she says, “why my family, who’s after my family?”

“Loki,” he whispers, “I don’t know why you’re his target.”

“So you want me to come with you to hide away from a stupid little god,” she says.

“It’s safer, I can protect you,” he says.

“I can take care of myself,” she says storming out of the room, “I don’t need a bodyguard.”

***

“You’re letting him leave right,” she says, sitting in the kitchen leaning into Happy’s side as Tony pours them drinks.

“I have to,” he says, “if he stays here any longer the government will find out and take him in.”

“I should go with him,” she says, “he’s freaked out because of the intel he has about Loki being back and planning to come for me.”

“You can’t,” Happy says, looking down at her, “if Loki is coming for you I want to be there to fight beside you. I know I don’t have to fight for you, but I can fight with you.”

“Or she could just come and work here for us,” Tony says, “that way she can stay in a safe place and train to fight better.”

“Or how about this,” she says standing up, “I go to sleep and then head back to the city and live my life and if Loki is after me I’ll deal with it if and when it happens.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s been almost a year since she saw Steve trapped in one of Tony’s suits and everything is still moving along the same way it did before Steve returned. Happy and Avery are getting more serious with each passing day.

“God, I just hate the idiot that lives above me,” she says as she and Happy walk down her block hand in hand, “I mean two am is not the time to start yodeling.”

“You could always move,” he says, laughing at the yeah right look she give him, “there must be another crumbling apartment in Queens that you can move to.”

“But that apartment is my home, it’s where we had our first date,” she says, “it’s where we spent our first night together, it has so many memories and milestones of our relationship and you just want me to up and move?”

“What else is there to do if you hate your neighbour so much,” he asks as they walk through the buildings doors.

“He hates it when he sees you come over,” she says, “knows it’s going to be a long and loud night.”

“Oh so what am I supposed to do then,” he asks, pulling her into his arms, blocking her doorway, “move in?”

“Yea, I mean you practically live here anyway,” she blurts out, “Tony is shocked when you stay upstate so it just makes sense.”

“You really want me to move in? You know I snore and am a slob and take way to long in the morning,” he says as she unlocks her door, “you’d never get a break from tha-”

“Hello there,” the smooth sickening voice says out of this pale faced, green eyed, rain haired man sitting on her couch, “you really should lock your windows. The Captain is good at breaking in when things are left unlocked, isn’t that right, pet?”

“Yes, my king,” Steve says, walking out of the kitchen.

She takes in all of Steve, or what’s left of him that is. His face and body are thin, like he hasn’t eaten in months, the eyes that are usually so full of life are as empty and lost as the ones she saw in her review mirror in Washington.

“Steve,” she whispers, walking slowly in his direction but is knocked over by some energy surrounding him.

“You have a choice,” the raven-haired man says as he stands and moves next to Steve, “by midnight tomorrow you must decide to either bring me your father so I can kill him or allow Steve to die in his place.”

“My father’s dead,” she spits out, “he was murdered years ago.”

“No, you see my dear,” he sneers, “I know he is very much alive, my dear friend Lorelei let me in on a little secret. And let’s just say I dislike it when someone I kill does not remain dead.”

***

“Dad, you can’t do this. He’s going to kill you and this time I can’t bring you back,” she says following her father to the meeting place, on top of Avengers Tower.

“Avery, go home,” he says, “I can’t have you watch me die. Happy, please take her home.”

“He came to me, said I had to be there,” she says jumping into the elevator, followed closely by Happy, “so you don’t have a say in whether or not I’m there.”

They step out of the elevator and walk onto the roof, scanning the area she sees Steve and Loki standing near the edge of the building. Grabbing her father’s arm, she tries and pull him away from this situation but an unsuccessful. They walk towards the two men as they turn to face them.

“Life is treating you well,” Loki says to her father, “so sad that it will end tonight.”

“A life will be ending tonight, I just don’t think it’s the one you’re expecting,” dad says towards the god.

She watches as Loki removes a dagger from a hidden spot on his person and lunge at her father, falling onto the ground when he passes through the holographic figure.

“What did you do you bitch,” Loki spews at her from the ground.

“Changed the rules,” she says back calmly as Tony, Sam, Natasha, Wanda, Clint, Pietro, and Bucky join them on the roof, “my father’s been dead for years because of you and now you’re going to pa-”

The tower starts to crumble around them, giant pieces’ start falling towards the people below. She feels a hand grab her waist throwing her back away from the edge as it starts to fall. She turns to see the spot where Happy is standing fall away from the building and plummet for the ground below. Running to the edge she tries to reach her hand for him but he’s too far away, leaning towards him she feels the building starting to give way, making her start to fall. Before she can accept it, she feels a hand grab onto mine, looking up she see the other hand, the metal hand, buried deep into the building.

“Steve,” Bucky calls out, “can you catch Avery and get her to safety?”

“Throw her up Buck, I got her,” Steve calls back as she’s launched into the air and caught by Steve. He moves them inside the stairwell away from the chaos.

“Steve, you have to go help. Happy, he fell,” she stutters, “please go help them. I’m-I’m fine.”

“I told you I was going to stay with you the next time chaos broke out around you,” Steve says, holding her close to his chest rocking her softly, “I’m not going anywhere.”

***

She walks towards the edge of the roof, looking down at the mess below, she watches as Tony’s suits look through the rubble searching for any sign of anyone. Standing there she senses the presence of Steve and Tony just behind her.

“Sir, I have some news,” Friday says from one of the suits.

She listens to what she has to say, and before anything else can be done or said she’s one the ground sobbing, screaming out no sound. She tries to fight off the arms trying to wrap around her, to comfort her, but is unsuccessful. Together they sit there on what’s left of the roof unable to control their voices, their tears, their broken hearts.

“What happened,” someone asks, she’s unsure of who it is.

“Go,” Steve commands as he moves closer to the mess that is the two of them on the ground.

She feels a set of arms, ones that don’t belong to Steve, lift her off the ground and carry her into the tower. She’s too consumed by her grief that she can’t hear the words coming out of anyone’s mouth until she hears the familiar voice of her father. Rushing toward him she breaks down even more than she has as she feel the familiarity of his arms holding her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Steve, can you stop leaving your dishes in the sink,” she hollers through the tiny apartment, “we’re going to get fruit flies.”

“It wasn’t me,” he says walking into the kitchen, “and Tony’s been upstate since Thursday so that only leaves you or Bucky.”

“It obviously isn’t me since I’m the one pissed about it,” she says, looking over at the lump asleep on her couch. She throws the dish towel at him causing him to stir.

“What,” he says, his voice still sounding like it’s asleep.

“Clean up your mess in the kitchen,” she says, “Fury and my father are on their way here and I don’t want dirty dishes cluttering my sink.”

“You’re the one who told us to make ourselves at home,” he says as he drags his feet across the floor into the kitchen.

“I’m not the ones who decided to be overprotective,” she says, “I was just raised right and knew there was no point arguing. It’s been three months; I can take care of myself.”

“We know,” Steve says, “and that’s the scary part of all this. You didn’t need anyone right after it all happened.”

“Because it isn’t real until his funeral,” she says, “I mean just look at Dad, and Uncle Nick, both were pronounced dead and they kind of aren’t.”

“It’s weird that it hasn’t happened yet,” Bucky says as he puts away the last dish, “I mean aren’t they supposed to happen right after the person dies?”

“Tony’s taking his time planning it,” she says, “wants to make sure it’s perfect. I mean Happy was the only family he had for a long time so it only makes sense.”

“Anyone home,” Peter calls out as he walks into the apartment.

“Hey kid,” she says turning away from Steve and Bucky, “what’s up?”

“I come baring family,” he says, as Phil and Nick walk into her place.

“We buzzed up but there wasn’t any answer,” Dad says when she shoots a confused look in his direction.

She looks over at the buzzer mounted in the wall and see a bullet hole straight through the speaker, turning she give Bucky a what the hell look.

“Sorry, it’s just been a little crowded and crazy here,” she says walking over hugging him.

“You ready for the trial,” Nick asks after a short pause.

“That’s today,” she asks, “I completely forgot. I’m covering a shift at work and can’t go.”

“It’s fine, it’s going to be a long trip anyway,” dad says, “I think Clint and Pietro are staying back too so you’ll have someone here if need be.”

She looks over at her father when he brings up Clint and see the hurt in his eyes. Resting her hand on his shoulder she sees the hurt start to fade.

“Dad, he thought you were dead,” she says, “and Pietro is the only person he’s dated since you. I know it hurts but it will get better.”

***

“So how long is this trial supposed to go on for,” Pietro asks as they hang out at the base upstate.

“A month, an Asgardian month,” she says, “however long that is in Earth time I have no idea.”

“Tony said once they all get back that’s when his funeral is going to be,” Clint says.

“So it’s really happening then,” she says, eyes starting to tear up, “he’s really gone.”

“Shit,” Clint mutters, moving to her side pulling her close.

“I didn’t mean for this to start,” he says, rocking them softly, “I thought you knew and were okay with it. I didn’t know he didn’t tell you.”

“It’s fine,” she says, “I just always had that little bit of hope every day that Tony stalled the funeral that Happy would just walk in and tell Tony that there should be less flowers or something like that.”

“I know,” he says, “but you have to start getting over him, I mean look how long it took me to get over your father and then when I finally start to feel happy in a new relationship he shows up very much alive. I mean it’s better to find happiness sooner rather than later Andrea out on so much.”

“I just don’t think I could ever love someone as much as I love Happy,” she says, “we just decided that we were going to move in the night before he died. I’ll never be able to get to that stage in a relationship again because I’ll freak out.”

“Then you freak out,” Clint says, “and try again, and you keep that cycle until you find someone that doesn’t make you freak out when they mention moving in.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s been five years since Happy died and Avery has dated four men in this time, the first three she left when they mentioned moving in together. The forth didn’t dare bring it up.

Until tonight. A cold winter night Avery and her new partner were walking to her small apartment in Queens after a double date with Steve and Tony. They were consumed by how enjoyable the evening was they didn’t sense the pair of eyes following them from when they turned onto her street until they reached the steps leading up to her building.

“Avery,” the blind man asks when they stop walking, “can I ask something?”

“Of course, Matt,” she replies, looking concerned.

“Why haven’t we talked about living together,” he asks, “I mean I think we’re ready, but is there a reason you haven’t brought it up?”

“My boyfriend that passed away,” she whispers, her eyes tearing up, “he passed away the night right after we decided to move in together.”

For the first time she told the truth about why she is cautious about living with her partner. The man watching them let’s a sad smile appear on his face.

“Oh,” Matt says quietly.

“But I think we’re ready too,” she says, cupping his cheek in her hand, “if we’re weren’t I wouldn’t have told you the truth.”

“Have you lied to people about why you didn’t want to move in with them,” he asks.

“No, I’ve broken up with them right on the spot,” she says, “but you, you’re different. I know what you do is dangerous and you haven’t died from that so it’s unlikely that you’ll died from us agreeing to live together.”

“So when do you want me to move in,” he asks, “my place is nice and all but you need to be here.”

Tony lands next to the man that’s been watching Avery and Matt throughout the whole conversation.

“He’s a good man,” Tony says, “he’s very much like you, willing to do anything to keep her safe.”

“She’s happy,” he replies not taking his eyes off of her.

“She’d be happier if she knew,” Tony says, resting his hand on the other man's shoulder.

“I can’t do that. She’s finally able to talk about what happened that night to someone who wasn’t there,” he says, shrugging off the hand and turning to walk away.

“Happy, she loves you,” Tony says, “she hasn’t said it to anyone since you and I’m not sure she ever will.”

“I can’t come back,” Happy says stopping in his tracks turning back to look at the woman he loves.

Avery is standing at the top of the steps unlocking the door to her building when she senses a pair of eyes on her. Stopping she turns and sees Tony standing in the mouth of an alleyway talking to someone further in. Avery looks past the suit and sees the shadow outline of the man she believes to be dead. Slowly she raises her hand and gives a little wave before slipping into the building, finally saying goodbye to the ghost from her past.

“See, she just waved goodbye,” Happy says, “if she thought that I was actually alive and standing here she would have run over here. She’s moved on and I can’t wreck that.”

***

Avery walks into her apartment, pulling out her phone as she does so, shrugging of her jacket. She dials the familiar number and presses call, she stands there waiting until it goes to voicemail, it beeps.

“Hey, it’s me, Avery. I was just calling to say that I saw your shadow tonight and needed to hear your voice and feel like I am talking to you,” Avery says, as she paces through her apartment.

“I don’t know if what I saw was just a shadow that looks like you or if it was actually you, but I need you to know,” she continues, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes, “that I waited and I wanted to wait forever for you to come back. I don’t think anyone will ever hold the same place in my heart as you did.

“Happy, I love you,” she says, voice breaking because of the tears she can’t hold back, “and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I can’t be with you and I’m sorry I’ve moved on, but Matt makes me happy like you did, like you do.

“So this is goodbye,” she says, still crying, “this is my closure and my way of showing myself that I’m ready to have someone who is as amazing as you enter my life so I can continue to live it like we planned.”

She hangs up the phone and sits down on the couch in her apartment letting her sadness, happiness, and relief wash over her all at once. Smiling she stands and starts to clear up some space for Matt to move in.


End file.
